The people of Mauke are stepping up efforts to combat the invasive red passionfruit vine (Passiflora rubra), a fast-growing threat to the island’s environment and cultural heritage. Through a formal partnership signed in February 2025, the Cook Islands and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), with support from the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS), are working together to implement the Resilient War on Weeds (WOW) and Resilient Ecosystems Resilient Communities (RERC) programmes on Mauke, Rarotonga, and Atiu.
The collaboration aims to support communities in managing invasive species by providing technical assistance, tools, and training tailored to local priorities. For Mauke, the red passionfruit vine, capable of smothering native plants and strangling mature trees, was identified as a key target. “This plant poses a serious ecological threat,” said Ms. Raita Moetaua, Extension Officer for the National Environment Service (NES) in Mauke. “We’ve previously introduced the Red Postman Butterfly as a biocontrol agent, but it’s clear that more direct intervention is needed.”
